What do do when using an M (or any RF with electronics) in the rain?

[papasnap]

Hola all!

Over the time I've had them, I've happily used my M6/M7 and Zeiss Ikon in light to medium rain, keeping the camera under cover and just bringing it up briefly to take the shots, then using my shirt to wipe off any excess water on them. I've never had any problems doing this, but have also been fairly mindful to not push the limit too far or leave them exposed to rain for too long.

But what about in heavier rain? The kind where your shoes get really waterlogged. What do you (or can you) do to keep using your RF in medium to heavy rain?

I got thinking about this after passing up going to shoot photos (just for fun) at an outdoor event last weekend, due to heavyish rain - I didn't feel game to keep my camera out in the rain for a few hours at a time. Shame as I think there probably would have been some great shots in it, the rain can look terrific!

Some sort of plastic covering would be great, but it would probably be better suited to SLRs rather than RFs (in which each of the lens, the 2 RF windows and the RF illumination window need a fairly unobstructed view). Has anyone tried something like that with their RF? Or do you have any other recommendations?

Cheers!
papasnap

 

[oftheherd]

I have no electronic RF cameras, but any camera, including electronic and non-electronic, I use anything that suffices. That can be a plastic bag to store it and just bring it out to shoot, a wide brimmed hat, or simply an umbrella. The lighter the camera, such as RF, or my Fuji ST 901, work surprisingly well with an umbrella. You need to practice some dexterity before going out with them, but it works. Oh, the umbrella helps keep me dry as well.

 

[RichC]

I use clingfilm on my Leica M8 (don't laugh!)

Oh, and always put it somewhere warm and dry overnight, afterwards

 

[peter_n]

I do the same as you, use them in the rain and wipe them off regularly, including the lens. I spray my canvas bags with a Nikwax spray that makes them waterproof, and the cameras/lenses are fine in there. Last torrential downpour I was in was on the Sugarloaf in Ireland and my Ms had no problems.

 

[ornate_wrasse]

I spray my canvas bags with a Nikwax spray that makes them waterproof, and the cameras/lenses are fine in there.

Where can Nikwax spray be purchased? I just bought a canvas bag and that sounds like a great product, especially with the rain we have here in Portland, Oregon.

Thanks.

Ellen

 

[BillBingham2]

One Word.........Nikonos

I prefer the III, others the IVa, none of them are bad.

I used my SLRs in the rain a lot as all I really needed was the front of the lens poking out of some magical plastic bad with rubber around the lenses hood on one side.

I'm a chicken.

Kind of why I'm sticking with the GX100 for rain stuff. Small enough to hold under the poncho to keep it dry and still shoot. I never had the guts to do my Ms and do not have the guts to do my S3. It should be said I'm not making money with them, they are for pleasure so that would change it quite a bit. Still think I would use a Nikonos in those cases though.

B2

 

[sleepyhead]

I too have thought of getting a nikonos especially for rainy shooting. The problem is that here in Denmark it could rain pretty much any time and I wouldn't want to carry the Nikonos all the time. But I want to carry my M Leica all the time. So, I also do as suggested above, keep the camera as dry as possible until shooting, then put it in my bag.

 

[peter_n]

Where can Nikwax spray be purchased? I just bought a canvas bag and that sounds like a great product, especially with the rain we have here in Portland, Oregon.

Ellen you can either buy it online or at a local outdoors store like REI - the spray was originally designed to be used on canvas tents. The product to get is Nikwax TX.Direct Spray-on, a bit of a mouthful but it works really well. I get the bigger 500ml bottle as I have four Domke canvas bags. 😱

 

[Livesteamer]

Another vote for Nikonos. I have/use a Nikonos III and if you can use a manual rangefinder the Nikonos should be easy. It's also a great camera for the beach and delightfully odd in it's own way; you can put the lens on upside down, works well that way. Further, my Leicas are a big investment for me and I want to protect them. Also, the Nikonos have the well known Nikon toughness. Ask Roger Hicks about that. Joe

 

[Al Kaplan]

The only electronic camera I have is my cell phone. I never use the camera function.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Another vote for Nikonos. I have/use a Nikonos III and if you can use a manual rangefinder the Nikonos should be easy. It's also a great camera for the beach and delightfully odd in it's own way; you can put the lens on upside down, works well that way. Further, my Leicas are a big investment for me and I want to protect them. Also, the Nikonos have the well known Nikon toughness. Ask Roger Hicks about that. Joe

Um. Yes. Fell off motorcycle, Nikonos in pocket. Landed on Nikonos, ground clear through jacket pocket (heavy duty yachting gear), lens cap and into lens filter thread mount. Went right on working. I had some good bruises, though.

My accident witness was wonderful. I couldn't have written his statemet better if I'd done it myself. "It was wet and quite dark, in the late afternoon. I particularly noticed that Mr. Hicks (as I now know him to be) was riding well within the speed limit with his lights on. Mr ______, as I now know him to be, overtook on the left and than cut across the front of Mr. Hicks in order to turn right. I could not believe he was doing this, as there was clearly not enough room..."

This was in London in the glory days of despatch riders, so 'well within the speed limit with his lights on' was indeed worthy of remark! It got me a new fairing without demur, well over £1000 for a BMW R100RS even in those days (15-20 years ago). I still have the bike.

Unfortunately a friend to whom I had lent the camera lost it over the side of a boat in 30 metres of water, some years later. Aaaargh. I'm still idly considering the purchase of another.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Dralowid]

What do do when using an M (or any RF with electronics) in the rain?

Use it and dry it off later! Use a hood and maybe UV filter. My experiences with M6TTL include 100% immersion for a second or so...still fine with no subsequent CLA though I left it with the back open in a warm place for several hours afterwards.

These things are still tough.

Michael